Man faces assault of a public servant charge (+Arrest Affidavit)

Published 4:11 pm, Tuesday, May 31, 2011

A Midland man remained in jail Tuesday after being arrested following an alleged struggle with police during which officers said he also urinated in his bed while intoxicated over the holiday weekend.

Chad Leascher, 32, is being held on third-degree felony charge of assault on a public servant and various misdemeanors after police responded to a domestic disturbance with a woman late Friday night.

Police arrived to a domestic situation on the 4400 block of Andrews Highway about 9:30 p.m. Friday, where a woman told police the dispute began in a vehicle about four hours earlier when an argument broke out during a return trip from Big Spring. She said Leascher grabbed her by the arm and took away her cell phone she was using to alert police to the issue, according to affidavit of probable cause.

The fight continued after they returned from the trip, and the woman said she feared for her and her children’s safety.

When officers arrived at the Andrews Highway location, they said they heard Leascher yell at the woman to “go ahead and call the cops and we will see what happens.”

Police then observed the man run to a bedroom and get underneath the covers. Midland police officers removed the sheets of the bed to apprehend Leascher and check for weapons when they noticed the “obviously intoxicated” man had urinated himself, according to the arrest report.

Leascher began to resist arrest by shoving the officer and trying to dodge the officers’ grasp. An officer finally was able to corner Leascher between a wall and a dresser, but Leascher headbutted the officer in a last ditch attempt to get away, police said.

The officer, in response, took the suspect to the ground and landed in a control position by using a joint lock to get on of his hands behind his back. Another officer tried to assist in handcuffing Leascher, but he continued to resist and was unresponsive to verbal commands, pressure points, joint manipulation and strikes to the leg. Eventually, one officer used his flashlight as an impact weapon and struck Leascher twice, police said.

After being struck, Leascher was finally brought under control but continued to resist officers. Police said Leascher even attempted to jump a jailer at the corrections facility.

Court records show Leascher has previously been arrested for alcohol-related crimes and resisting arrest, as recent as December.

He is being held on a $7,100 bond for a third-degree felony charge of assault on a public servant and misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest, interfering with a emergency call and family violence. If convicted of the felony, he could serve up to 10 years in prison.